


Momentary Truce

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-10
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-11-12 10:21:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11159904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: The world's greatest defenders and its greatest enemies go shopping.





	Momentary Truce

Sabine didn’t usually go to the mall, of all places. Please, as if she’d set foot among the mortal trash that flocked there. No, Sabine preferred to travel via portal to shop at the various fancy shops around the world. But the portal was broken, and Sabine was smart enough to know that buying clothes online was a recipe for disaster. Also, they needed more bleach and Jessica wanted something from Hot Topic. Darko also wanted something at Hot Topic.

“Alright, Sabine, you’ve been here before, right?” asked Katja.

“No,” said Sabine, offended that Katja had even insinuated that.

“What? As Garnok’s woman on the ground, so to speak, it is your job to know how the mere mortals are doing,” said Darko. “Out of all of us, you were on Jorvik for several years, and in top condition, too. And yet, you cannot even learn the layout of a simple mall…”

“So?” said Sabine. “I’m sorry that wasn’t in the job description.”

“Oh, for the deep and intense hatred of Garnok, Sabine, do you not even know the lore around your creation?” said Darko.

“I’m not a nerd,” said Sabine, wrinkling her nose.

“Ugh, how am I even related to you?” Darko muttered. “When Garnok was imprisoned, he waited in that spot for years. But then, a group of curious sirens swam by. They agreed to help Garnok, in return for power beyond their wildest imaginings. And so he gave them this power, and told them that their job was to walk the earth and fight to free him, learning all that they could so that his takeover would go as smoothly as possible.”

By the time Darko had finished his epic monologue (complete with dramatic movements), he found that the other three had moved on.

“Hey!” Darko called after them, jogging to keep up. “Wait for me!”

Unlike the Dark Riders, the Soul Riders were at the mall for the same reason many groups of girls visited the mall- to have fun with their friends. Even if two of the friends didn’t really like malls, and would prefer to be somewhere else. But Alex was there because James’ birthday was coming up and she knew that he wanted a certain video game, and Linda was looking for a new book to read.

“I’m surprised that you didn’t go straight to Hot Topic, Lisa,” said Anne. “It seems like your kind of shop.”

“Oh my goddess,” Lisa groaned. “Would you stop with the punk jokes already?”

“No, I was talking about the band merchandise,” said Anne.

“Yeah, this time,” said Lisa. It was never quite clear whether or not the two girls hated each other, they were always poking fun at each other and bickering.

“What’s your size? I’ll buy you something,” said Anne.

“No way. Princess Anne, buying something for someone out of the goodness of her heart? Now I’ve seen everything,” said Lisa, laughing.

“I’m serious!” said Anne. “Fine then. Linda, what is Lisa’s t-shirt size?”

Linda told her, and then Anne walked into Hot Topic with a smug look on her face, a confidence in her step, and the knowledge of Lisa’s t-shirt size. Then, on her way past some of the more ‘edgy’ clothing (which she would have bought Lisa once upon a time, but she wasn’t that mean anymore), Anne had to stop and backtrack. Her heart stopped when she recognised the black-clad figure standing in front of the boots. No, that couldn’t possibly be… what was Jessica doing here?

Anne found the t-shirt to one of Lisa’s favourite bands, paid for it, and quickly got out of there.

“Wow, I didn’t think you’d actually buy it,” said Lisa as Anne numbly handed over the bag.

“Girls, we have a problem,” said Anne. “Jessica is here.”

“What? What’s she doing here?” asked Alex, instantly on the alert.

“Shopping, I imagine,” said Linda.

“At a mall? And I thought Generals didn’t need to shop,” said Anne.

“Anne, you know those types of girls. You are one of those girls,” said Linda. “You all need to shop because that’s just the way you work.”

“That’s so… ugh, I hate that you’re right,” said Anne.

“Wait, you’re talking like they’re all here,” said Alex. “Damn it, I knew I should’ve brought a weapon with me.”

“Apart from that being highly illegal, you are a weapon, Alex,” said Linda. “Remember?”

“Well, yeah, but my powers only work when I’m on Tin Can,” said Alex. “Otherwise… nothing. Not even a spark.” She clenched and unclenched her fist, concentrating, but nothing happened. “See?”

“Regardless, we are in public, Alex. We cannot make a scene,” said Anne.

“Fine, but if they start attacking, I’m gonna retaliate and you can’t stop me,” said Alex.

“Whatever you say, oh great warrior,” said Anne, swooning onto Alex’s shoulder. They both giggled.

Alex waited at a table in the food court after she’d finished her shopping, having only needed the one thing. She tapped her fingers on the back of the game case, gazing around the large mall in search of suspicious figures in black or white or red. She almost jumped out of her skin when someone tapped her shoulder.

“Oh good, you’re back with us,” said Lisa, sitting down opposite her with her shopping.

“If they have to shop, does that mean that they have to eat too?” asked Alex.

“I dunno, ask Linda when she gets back,” said Lisa. “Last I saw, though, she was flipping through books, so don’t hold your breath.”

“Ugh, it’s just so hard to relax when I know that they’re here,” said Alex. “Everyone could be in danger!”

“Don’t talk too loud, you might get carted off to the loony bin,” said Lisa. Alex glowered at her, but had to admit that her friend was right. Talking about an ancient war that they were warriors in would only make everyone think that she was crazy. So Alex got up and ordered some of the cheap, delicious food court Chinese for herself.

Alex was glad that she’d finished eating when the table next to them became occupied with people. The man who sat down and laid his cane on the table was old, but he didn’t look it.

“Food court sushi isn’t the best, but sometimes you just have a craving for it, you know?” said Sabine, sitting down opposite him. Alex stiffened, clutching her plastic fork very tightly. Anne gently kicked her shin under the table.

“This food is so bad for you,” said Katja. “How can you all just tuck into it like that?” Darko was enjoying his noodle-y meal quite greatly.

“Oh, relax, you’ve been hanging around models too much. Food doesn’t affect us the same way it affects humans,” said Jessica, and bit into her greasy hamburger. Katja shuddered at the sight, and sipped at her green smoothie.

But then she saw who was sitting at the table next to her glaring at her, and she almost choked. Alex almost cracked the fork in half (Anne quickly plucked it out of her hand, saving the plastic cutlery from its dire fate).

A stare-off ensued, and if looks could kill, a new cycle would have begun instantly.

“What are you- oh,” said Jessica, looking up and seeing who Katja was glaring at. The rest of the food court continued chattering and being noisy, unaware of the ancient enemies sitting next to each other.

“Well, well, what have we here?” said Darko, finally noticing. “The Soul Riders are defenceless and without their horses. See, Sabine, this is what you could have discovered if you had been doing anything even remotely useful.”

“I was doing useful things,” said Sabine.

“Terrorising the animals and people of Jorvik by casting curses and riding around on your Dark Horse isn’t being useful,” said Jessica. “Yes, Sabine, I know what you did.”

“I was keeping in shape,” said Sabine with a shrug. “And anyway, if you attack the Soul Riders here, the humans will call the police. And humans are a lot smarter now than they used to be, they’ll be able to find us and that won’t be good for us.”

“So, what, we are just supposed to sit here and glare at each other?” asked Darko.

“Yes,” said Sabine, and ate her sushi. “This stuff is good.”

The stare-off continued for several more minutes, until Anne managed to drag a protesting Alex away from the food court.

“Oh, the possibilities of this place are endless,” said Darko, looking around. “Play a hypnotic tune through the speakers, poison the food, lock them all in and vent poison gas through the place.”

“Sabine, control your son,” said Jessica, flipping through a fashion magazine as they walked out of the mall.

“Darko, think quietly,” said Sabine. “We don’t want you getting arrested and then causing a scene.”

“I won’t cause a scene,” said Darko.

“Yes you will,” said Sabine. “Come on, let’s go home.”

Once they were outside the mall, the group of Dark Riders crossed the road on their way to a dark place where their teleportation wouldn’t be noticed.

“Can I please hit them?” asked Alex through grit teeth as she gripped the steering wheel quite tightly.

“No,” her three friends replied in unison.


End file.
